TOKYO (Reuters) - Top seed Gustavo Kuerten dropped the first set against
Italian Andrea Gaudenzi on Thursday before rolling into the Japan Open
quarter-finals with Mark Philippoussis, who is enjoying tennis again under a new coach.
Kuerten paid for erratic baseline play in the first set but began his comeback in the fifth game of the second set
when he broke the Italian's serve on the way to a 3-6 6-3 6-4 win.
The Brazilian leader of the ATP Champions Race turned to drop shots to keep his Italian opponent guessing
and came up with early breaks in the second and third sets to seal victory.
``I just played better in the important points after the first set and that is what you need to win matches like
this,'' Kuerten said.
He now plays seventh seed Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia in the last eight after he beat compatriot Karol Kucera,
the ninth seed, 6-4 6-4. Kuerten has lost in the quarter-finals in his last two tournaments in Hong Kong and at
the Olympics.
Philippoussis, playing against South Korean (news - web sites) qualifier Yoon Yong-il, went to a first set
tie-break but thanks to his booming serve came through to win 7-6 (9-7) 6-4.
The Australian third seed said he felt a bit sluggish in the match but generally felt revived under new coach Peter
McNamara.
``I was a little tired on the court and I was a couple of steps slow during the points. But when you feel like that
out there, you just want to get through the match and get off and get a little rest,'' he said.
Philippoussis is playing in his second tournament under McNamara. He said he had not changed much in his
game but had found a new enjoyment playing and training with his compatriot.
Philippoussis will meet 12th seed Sjeng Schalken of the Netherlands in his quarter-final.
Number four seed Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador narrowly avoided defeat by Swedish Jonas Bjorkman before
winning 4-6 7-5 7-6 (7-4) while number six seed Byron Black of Zimbabwe beat Swede Kalle Flygt 6-2 6-3.
Lapentti will meet Black in the quarter-finals.
Number eight seed Hicham Arazi of Morocco made short work of American Eric Taino 6-4 6-2 while Wayne
Black, Byron's brother, upset Israeli number 15 seed Harel Levy 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.
The two winners will meet in the last quarter-final.
On the women's side, defending champion Amy Frazier of the United States advanced to the semifinals after
beating Sylvia Plischke of Austria 6-1 6-2.
Frazier will meet South African Joannette Kruger, who beat Janet Lee of Taiwan 6-3 7-6 (7-5).